The right plants can make a vast difference in your home’s curb appeal. While there are countless landscaping possibilities, one major aspect of the front yard and first impression of the home is what’s right outside. What are the best plants to have right in front of your house? Here we’ll go over some of the top options for curb appeal.
Hydrangeas are an incredibly popular choice for planting in front of the house. The flowers are bountiful and easily spotted from far away. The bushes grow large and take up lots of space making them a smart investment. There is a wide variety of colors to choose from, including pink, purple, blue, white and even green. The intensity and hue depend on the pH levels of the soil. There are many store-bought soil treatments available that allow you to adjust the soil for ideal hydrangea colors.
Hydrangeas grow best in partial sun and moist soil. Their giant blooms might make the plant appear high maintenance but in the right conditions they can be low-maintenance and easy to grow outdoors. They are perennials and will keep their flowers from spring and even into early fall, looking great against the backdrop of any home siding or trim.
Azaleas are another popular flowering shrub for planting in front yards. There are over one thousand different varieties of azalea in colors including red, pink and white, with rarer varieties appearing in shades of purple or yellow. One thing that makes azaleas so popular is that they can grow almost anywhere. They’re recommended for hardiness zones 5 through 9, but some can tolerate even lower temperatures. The other popular trait of this shrub is the fragrance. Azalea flowers are incredibly fragrant and can fill your entire yard with their sweet scent.
The only major threat to azaleas are harsh winds. The flowers are plentiful but delicate and won’t survive large gusts. Otherwise, they’re an easy-to-grow perennial that grows dense blankets of colorful flowers and rich green foliage from spring through summer.
If you’re looking for non-flowering plants to dress up the front of your home, look no further than the boxwood. Boxwood shrubs are extremely dense and commonly planted in ornamental gardens as hedges. When left alone without pruning, they will grow into large round balls of rich green foliage. Depending on how you plant them, you can create entire hedge walls with multiple boxwood plants. They also look great as symmetrical bushes on either side of a front door.
No matter where and how you choose to plant them, it’s important to note that keeping your boxwood shrubs a specific size and shape is a time-consuming task. If you dream of perfectly manicured hedges prepare to maintain them yourself (or hire a landscaping professional for regular upkeep). Unfortunately, boxwoods are also quite expensive, mostly because of their hardiness, longevity and popularity. As long as you take good care of them they will make an attractive investment plant for the front of your home.
Ultimately, the best choice of plant for the front of your home will depend on your personal style and preference. The above are common and well-loved shrubs to grow in front of your house, but with creativity and proper care the possibilities are endless.
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